THE BASICS
Score:  Army 2, Holy Cross 1
Records: Army (10-15, 1-0 Patriot League) ; Holy Cross (1-5, 0-1 Patriot League)
Pitching Decision:  W: Caroline Smith (4-8) | L: Tori Cheske (0-1)
Location:  Army Softball Complex (West Point, N.Y.)
The Lead: After four hours of play, Army's Caroline Smith knocked in the winning run on a sacrifice fly to help lift Army over Holy Cross by a final score of 2-1 in a hard fought 12-inning game to kick of Patriot League softball action at the Army Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon in the first of a three-game series.

• Through the first four frames, Holy Cross was able to register four hits including a single to right field by freshman Savannah Young  (Celebration, Fla.) and a double by sophomore Emily Krisanda (Oak Hill, Va.), while junior knuckleball pitcher Gennifer Durham (Abbeville, S.C.) allowed one hit through four innings.
• With a single by Kristen McPeek, Alyssa Strobehn crossed home plate for the first run of the game as the Black Knights took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
• Army held the 1-0 lead until the top of the seventh as junior Emily Jarvis (Hopkinton, Mass.) singled to the pitcher to kick off the inning for the Crusaders. Jarvis advanced to third on a ground out to the second baseman and tied the score 1-1 as junior Becky Geddes (Cumberland, R.I.) reached on a fielder's choice.
• The Black Knights looked to break the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh off a single down the middle by Kasey McCravey, who later stole second, but Army was unable to capitalize.
• After Holy Cross tied the score at 1-1, Smith and Cheske engaged in a pitcher's duel that spanned the next five innings.
• In the bottom of the 12th inning, a single to left-center from the bat of Alee Rashenskas and a double down the left-field line by McPeek got things rolling for the Black Knights. With Rashenskas on third, Smith batted in the winning run on a sacrifice fly to right field as Army took the 2-1 12-inning victory.

• Army outhit Holy Cross 13-7 through 12 innings of play.
• Jarvis led the Crusader offense, going 2-4 with two singles.
• Durham got the no decision as she tossed 4.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits. Tori Cheske took the loss (0-1) as she tossed 7.1 and allowed one earned run on nine hits, while whiffing three batters and walking zero.
• Army starter Smith took the victory (4-8) as she pitched 12 innings and allowed one run on seven hits, while walking one and striking out six.

• The Crusaders return to the diamond tomorrow, March 29, for a doubleheader versus Army at the Army Softball Complex with the games beginning at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
  

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